Tank valve and lever



(.No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.4

J. E. BOYLE.

TANK VALVE AND LEVER. No. 328,873. Patented Oct. 20, 1885.

F i g. '7

is F

WiTNESSES: INVENTOR: Bgjhis mys, is)

N. PHEIIS, iimlu-Ulmgnphen Wanhilvglnn. D. C.

(No Model.) 7 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. E. BOYLE.

TANK VALVE AND LEVER. No. 328,873. Patented Oct. 20, 1885.

WITNE A INVENTOR:

m Wi l By his .dttarneys, 4M #QZZW N. PETERS. PhoQo-Lilhognphor. Wzmin mn. n.5,

(No Model.) a Sheets-Sheet 3.

J.E.BOYLE.

TANK VALVE AND LEVER. No. 328.873. Patented Oct. 20, 1885.

WITNESSES: RI v P 2" @1 8 W946, By his flttorneys,

N. PETERS. Fholc-Lnhngmphur, Wasmnglon. 0. cl

UNITED STATES {PATENT riricn.

JAMES E. BOYLE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

TANK VALVE AND LEVER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 328,873, dated October 20, 1885.

Application filed October 4, 1884. Serial No. 144,732.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES E. BOYLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brook lyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tank Valves and Levers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to self-seating valves and improved means for operating them.

In my Patent No. 249,57 7 dated November 15, 1881, is shown a self-seating tank-valve, or one which when lifted off its seat will gradually descendand reseat itself, although its stem may be still upheld; and in my PatentNo. 266,963, dated November 7, 1882, is shown a device for operating such a valve for water-closet tanks in order to secure a double-flushing of the closet, one wash being long and the other short.

My present invention comprehends improvements upon the subject-matter of both these patents, but more particularly upon the latter one. The principal objects are to cheapen and facilitate the setting and adj ustment of the devices, to enable the plumber, after setting the valve and lever, to readily insure that the long wash shall be first and the short one afterward, or vice versa, or that both washes shall be of equal duration, and to avoid the sucking noise heretofore made by the rushing of the water down the flushing- Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a vertical section of a service-tank, showing my improved valve and operating mechanism in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the tank, valve, and its mechanism on a larger scale. Figs. 3, 4., and 5 are plans of the valve-operating mechanism or levers on the same scale as Fig. 2, showing the different adjustments of the apparatus. Fig. 6 is a plan of the lever alone. Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the standard. Fig. 8 is a plan, on a larger scale, of the adj usting-disk, and Fig. 9 is an edge View thereof. Fig. 10 includes three views of a modification of this disk. Fig. 11 is a vertical transverse section of the selfseating valve, and Fig. 12 is a horizontal section thereof cut in the plane of the line 12 12 in Fig. 11.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, let

(No model.) I

valve; 0, the rod or stem for lifting the same, and D the weighted tank-lever, operated by a Wire, cord, or chain, a, which extends downward, and is usually connected to the seat of the water-closet which is to be flushed from the tank. The valve B is similar to those shown in my said patents, except that its piston is pressed downward by a spring instead A designate the tank; B, the self-seating I of by the downward thrust of the valve-stem, I 1

a change which permits it to be operated through a chain, 0, instead of a rigid rod or stem, which greatly facilitates the adjustment of the apparatus in setting, since a longer or shorter chain can be readily attached to adapt it to deeper or shallower tanks.

In practicea chain sufficiently long for the deepest tank is supplied with the apparatus, and the plumber uses what length is necessary and cuts off what remains. The rod or stem 0, which is attached to the upper end of the chain, is only long enough to extend through the lever mechanism above by which it is operated. Its upper end is screw-threaded, and on it screws a disk, K, and a jam-nut. The lever D is mounted in a frame or standard, F, and bears two dogs, E E, which are arranged in a longitudinal recess. (Shown in. Fig. 6.) The frame F is formed with two spurs, G G, projecting upward from its base-plate, (Figs. 2 and 7,) and its base-plate is formed with a central hole,through which passes the stem 0. In nearly all these respects my present construction is identical with that shown in my said Patent No. 266,963. One important differi the same height, and both flushes or washes would be of equal duration. To avoid this and secure the desired difference in the washes, I make the bottom surface of the disk K with its one side, Z, in a higher plane than its other side, m, so that on one movement one dog E will strike and lift its side m at an earlier point in the stroke than that at which the other dog E will strike and lift the side Z in the opposite movement, and consequently the dog which strikes the side in will lift the disk K and the valve higher than the dog which strikes the side Z. Thus the side-Z, by being formed above the plane of the side m, constitutes a short-wash provision.

It will be understood that the principle by which I now secure the difference in the two washes differs from that employed in my previous apparatus. In both cases the dogs E E constitute levers, of which the points of the spurs G G are the fulcra. In my former mechanism these spurs were arranged in different relative positions, so that the dogs E E constituted levers of unequal length, the free end of the one consequently moving faster and farther than that of the other to the same movement of the lever D. In my present construction both dogs E E are levers of equal length, (by preference,) and the difference in the lift which they impart to the valve results from the different points in their stroke at which they encounter and lift the disk K. This change of principle enables me to render the mechanism readily reversible after it is set up. With my former mechanism it was necessary to unscrew the frame or standard and turn it around in order to reverse the relative durations of the two washes. With my present mechanism it is necessary only to turn the disk K to one side or the other. The disk K is of the form best shown in Figs. 8 and 9, its entire under surface being of the plane of the portion m, with the exception of a narrow portion on one side of the center, which is elevated to form the short wash surface Z. Projecting from diametrically-opposite sides of the disk are formed lugs or ears 7:. n, which work in vertical slots p p in the side walls, kk, of the standard F, as best seen in Fig. 1. By this means the disk is guided in its vertical movement and prevented from rotating. The

seats 1) p are open at the top, so that the disk may be lifted out of them and turned around, to transpose the washes.- When the disk is turned, as shown in Fig. 3, with the part Z to the left, the short wash is given first on the pulling down of the wire a, and the long wash is given on the release of the lever and its return movement by the counter-weight. This is best suited to hoppenclosets. When the disk is turned, as shown in Fig. 4, with the part Z to the right, the long wash is given first and the short wash last, on the return of the lever. This, is best suited for pan-closets, or those operated by a pull-handle. The long wash is given on raising the pull, and on releasing it the short wash fills the pan. Fig. 5 the disk is shown in an intermediate position, with the part Zturned to one side out of the way of the dogs E E, so that both washes are of equal duration. For this purpose the disk K is formed also with two additional ears, n n, arranged midwaybetween' and at right angles to the ears n n.

Fig. 10 shows a modification wherein the entire under surface of the disk K is of the level of the surface Z, and the lower plane of the surface m is formed by a downward thickening of the diskon its under side. The operation is the same as that of the other form. The cars n n are omitted. To render both flushes of equal duration the disk may be inverted.

I will now describe the novel construction of the valve B, referring to Figs. 2, 11,and 12. It is constructed, as formerly, with a valve proper, 5, working against a seat, 0, and provided with an upwardly-projecting tube, d, and a downwardly-projecting guiding-stem,e. In the tube 12 works a cupped leather piston,

f, borne at the bottom of a stem or rod, 0".-

Inclosing all these parts is a cage, L, which is fastened to the seat a and open at itssides to admit water. The stem 0 passes out through a hole in the top of this cage and is linked to the chain 0. A spring, S, is coiled around. the stem 0, reacts against the top of the cage, and presses downward on the piston f, thus keeping the chain taut. The valve 12 is weighted by a lead ring, g. It is formed, as formerly, with a vent or minute leak-orifice,h. The seat a is formed in one piece witha small elongated trunk or casing, N, which extends below the seat and to one side thereof, and to it is soldered the overflow-pipe M. From the seat 0 a short injector-tube, 1", extends down through the hollow in the casing N and into an'outlet-neck, s, which is formed depending from the' casing, and which is screw-threaded for connection with the pipe which descends to flush the bowl of the closet. When the Valve 12 is lifted, water enters through the cage and flows down through the seat 0 and tube a" into-the pipe 9. In so doing it draws air by suction down the overflow -pipe M and through the casing N. The result of this free inflow of air is that the flushing-water flows down the pipe g noiselessly and avoids causing the disagreeable sucking and gurgling sound that has heretofore proved so annoying in the use of valves of this class. The casing N is of the same thickness as the wooden bottom of the tank A, and is formed with a flange, t, which is screwed to the under side of the tank. The leaden lining of the tank has a hole out through it of the same shape as the casing, and the edge of this hole is joined to the upper portion of the casing by soldering.

I .claim as my invention- 1. The combination of a self-closing valve and its stem, a suitable guide for said stem, a

tilting lever, and a suitable support for the fulcrum of said lever, with a disk, K, connected to said stem, and formed with under surfaces, m

and Z, in different vertical planes, and provisions in connection with said lever adapted to engage said surfaces m Z alternately upon the tilting of the lever, substantially as set forth,

whereby upon the engagement with one of said surfaces the valve is lifted to a different height than upon the engagement with the other of said surfaces.

2. The combination of lever D, a suitable support for the fulcrum thereof, dogs E E, pivoted thereto, spurs G G, arranged to tilt said dogs, stem G,and a suitable guide for said stem, with the disk K, attached to said stem and formed with under surfaces, 1% and l, in different vertical planes, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of frame or standard F, having vertical seats 1) p,with disk K, having ears n and formed with under surfaces, at and Z, in different vertical planes, and a lever or levers adapted,when tilted, to move said disk vertically, substantially as set forth.

4:. The combination of frame or standard F, having vertical slots pp, with disk K, formed with under surfaces, m and l, in different vertical planes and having projecting ears n n and nn, and the lever D, adapted,when tilted, to engage and move said disk vertically, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, to form a self-seating tank-valve, of a Valve-seat, a weighted valve proper having a tube projecting vertically from it, a cupped leather piston working in said tube, a valve-stem fixed to said piston, a spring adapted to press said piston downward in said tube, a valve-operating tank-lever mounted above the valve, and a flexible connector intervening between said lever and said stem,whereby the pulling of said connector by saidlever, lifts the stem and piston against the pressure of said spring, the valve proper descends slowly by its own weight, and on the release of the connector the spring presses down the piston in the vertical tube, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of valve proper I), having vertical tube d, cupped leather piston f, spring S, adapted to press said piston downward in said tube, divided valve-stem in two parts, 0 G, flexible connector 0, joining said my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES E. BOYLE.

YVitnesses:

ARTHUR C. FRASER, G130. BAINTON.

parts, and the tank-lever adapted to pull up- 

